Church of St Laurence, Upminster

Coordinates: 51°33′18″N 0°14′53″E / 51.555°N 0.248°E / 51.555; 0.248

St Laurence, Upminster
Denomination	Church of England (Anglican)
Website	http://www.upminsterparish.co.uk/
Administration
Deanery	Havering
Archdeaconry	West Ham
Diocese	Chelmsford
Province	Canterbury

The church of St Laurence, Upminster, is the Church of England parish church in Upminster, England. It is a Grade I listed building.^[1] It is the historic minster or church from which Upminster derives its name, meaning 'upper church', probably signifying 'church on higher ground'. The place-name is first attested as 'Upmynster' in 1062, and appears as 'Upmunstra' in the Domesday Book of 1086.

History

Alice Perrers, mistress of King Edward III, was buried in the church or churchyard in 1400. There is no memorial to mark her grave. She had three illegitimate children by the king, and later lived and died in the manor of Gaynes in Upminster.

The tower of St Laurence's was instrumental in the first accurate measurement of the speed of sound by Rev William Derham, who was also buried in the church or churchyard and who also, by his own wish, has no memorial.

Description

The church is a good example of 13th-century construction. The tower dates from this period, and is rubble-walled, with buttresses at the foot, and a leaded and shingled spire, typical of Essex.^[2]

The church was largely rebuilt in 1862-3 by W. G. Bartleet. Further rebuilding took place in 1928, when the original chancel became part of the nave, and the new choir and sanctuary were built, by Sir Charles Nicholson. Nicholson also built the current south chapel and Lady Chapel, on the north side.^[2]

The pulpit is by Violet Pinwill of Devon. The baptismal font is 15th-century, and came from Upminster Hill Chapel. The monuments include those of the Branfills of Upminster Hall, and the Esdailes of Gaynes.^[2]

The churchyard contains war graves of six service personnel of World War II.^[3]

References

London Borough of Havering
Districts	Ardleigh Green Chase Cross Coldharbour Collier Row Cranham Elm Park Emerson Park Frog Island Gallows Corner Gidea Park Hacton Harold Hill Harold Park Harold Wood Havering-atte-Bower Heath Park Hornchurch Noak Hill North Ockendon Rainham Rise Park Romford Rush Green South Hornchurch Upminster Upminster Bridge Wennington
Attractions	CEME The Diver Havering Museum Langtons Queen's Theatre Rainham Hall Rainham War Memorial The Rom Tithe Barn Museum Upminster Windmill
Major retail	The Brewery The Liberty The Mercury Romford Market
Places of worship	St Andrew, Hornchurch St Edward the Confessor, Romford St John, South Hornchurch St Helen and St Giles, Rainham St Laurence, Upminster St Mary Magdalene, North Ockendon
Parks and open spaces	Bedfords Park Dagnam Park Harrow Lodge Park Havering Country Park Hornchurch Country Park Hylands Park Pyrgo Park Tylers Common Wildspace Conservation Park Upminster Park
Constituencies	Dagenham and Rainham (part) Hornchurch and Upminster Romford
Tube and rail stations	Elm Park Emerson Park Gidea Park Harold Wood Hornchurch Rainham Romford Upminster Upminster Bridge
Other topics	Council Grade I and II* listed buildings People Public art Public transport Schools